Sneaking Around
by Su Freund
Summary: Jack wants to bring the magic back into his Christmas but breaching the fraternization regs doesn't sit well with either him or Sam. Neither does sneaking around and lying to their friends to hide their illicit relationship. V. late sequel to Making Time
1. Chapter 1

Title: Sneaking Around

Category: Romance, fluff

Content Level: Age 13+

Content Warnings: Language and sexual situations

Pairings: Jack & Sam

Season: 8

Spoilers: Specific brief references to "Chain Reaction" and "Grace", otherwise, the story is set in Season 8 so anything up until that point goes.

Summary: Jack wants to bring the magic back into his Christmas but breaching the fraternization regs doesn't sit well with either him or Sam. Neither does sneaking around and lying to their friends to hide their illicit relationship.

Author's Note:

1. This is a Christmas based sequel to my stories "Trick or Treat" (Halloween) and "Making Time" (Thanksgiving). I wrote both of these holiday based stories a long time ago – 2004 – and never intended to write another sequel five years later. It's a long time to wait! However, I recently posted the two stories to the Sam and Jack Always and Forever website. Some readers asked for a Christmas sequel and my muse decided to go for it. You should probably read the first two stories first, but I think you also might be able read this as a standalone. Thanks to the readers on Sam and Jack Always and Forever for the inspiration. *vbg* Both stories are published on this site if you want to read them.

2. Note about the canon: I wrote the original stories before "Threads" aired. Therefore, they strayed away from series canon a little in terms of the timeline and Sam's relationship with Pete Shanahan. Obviously, this sequel follows my story canon rather than show canon.

3. This story has not been beta read mainly because I want to dedicate it to my beta reader, ImmerRDA, as a thank you and a small Christmas gift (albeit one she has to share with the rest of you, lol!). She's put a lot of hard work into reading and commenting on my draft stories and I thought it would be good to surprise her with one for a change. Therefore, I could not send it to her for beta reading, could I? :-) Merry Christmas Barbara, and thanks very much! I hope any mistakes I might have made don't make you (or anyone else) cringe – LMAO!

**Sneaking Around**

Sprawled on his couch in a position that made him look all legs, Jack yawned and stretched out, mindless of the TV flickering in front of him. He was thinking about Sam. More to the point, he was thinking about them – Jack and Sam, a couple in the making, or so he hoped. Too early to tell for sure.

Back on Halloween, he'd jokingly threatened that he'd haunt her on holidays. He'd meant it – not as a threat of course but as a kind of promise - although he hadn't been able to pull it off. They'd skipped Thanksgiving altogether, forcing them into faking it later, so he'd sworn this wasn't going to happen at Christmas.

His promise assumed their lives could follow the norm most other people could achieve, of course, which wasn't the case in their line of work. When it came to the SGC, the crap hit the fan on a regular basis. This was inevitable. Best laid plans and all that.

That fake Thanksgiving had been special, though, there was no denying it. He'd ended up making love to his favorite blonde and sleeping in her welcoming arms. Pretty darned good, couldn't get much better.

In the brief time that had passed since that night, they'd been dating. In theory, leastwise, and if you could call it dating. To Jack, dating sounded like something he'd done when he was way younger not now he was in his fifties. They were lovers, a far better way of describing what they had although only partially accurate.

The fact was only a couple of weeks had passed since that fateful night. They'd managed to see each other inside the mountain at work more than they got it together on the outside. Hence, the opportunities for lovemaking had been rare. Categorizing their relationship as either dating or being lovers might be pushing it somewhat. Sometimes, life can be tough.

Jack regretted that. He wanted to see more of her outside their workplace, wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. He was trying his damndest to create that time but it wasn't always easy.

Although he knew he should be patient, that they'd been together for such a very short time, Jack's patience was already wearing thin. It had taken them a long while to get this far. Now they finally had he wanted to get cracking. It wasn't either of their faults that finding free time was an issue. It was what it was – or not. Their working lives were complicated.

Then, the regs they had breached and continued to flout on occasion weighed heavily on his mind. It was a bitch and something neither one of them had been prepared to contemplate doing until they'd done it. There was no going back and it was stupid to regret it, but he did.

Not being with Sam. Jack could never regret that. He was stuck on her and she seemed to feel the same way about him, which was cool and, if he was honest, a little unexpected. Sure, there'd always been this frisson of something between them but the fact they fancied the pants off each other didn't mean making a decent fist of a relationship out of it inevitable.

Of course, they hadn't actually made a decent fist of it yet. They hadn't had time. He realized he could still screw it up but was optimistic and sincerely hoped he wouldn't.

Jack was fairly sure if he sat down and wrote a list of all the pros and cons they had going for or against them it would be a lot longer on the cons side. Obviously, he had never written this list and never would. Jack wasn't into that kind of analysis. As far as Sam was concerned, he would take it as it came and to hell with it. A way better option. Life was too short for anything else.

Nevertheless, he regretted putting them into a situation where they broke the rules and knew he had to do something about it - something to make their relationship official so neither of them got into the deep shit they might if it ever came out.

Jack was good at sneaking around. He'd done it for much of his working life. This, however, was very different and he didn't want it for them. It was like having an extra-marital affair, or so he imagined. Not that he'd ever done such a thing but he figured it must be similar. They were both free agents and should be able to date whomever they chose but the fact was they couldn't. Or they shouldn't.

He'd find a way around and he had to do it soon. It kind of worried him that all this breaching the regs stuff might spoil things for them. As if they didn't have enough issues around getting and keeping it together without adding that to the overall burden.

Breaking those particular regs didn't sit well with either of them. Jack had broken one or two rules in his time. It was the O'Neill way of things. He did what he believed was necessary to achieve his goals, rules or no rules. To save the day, save the planet, sometimes the whole freakin' universe. On the other hand, he'd never done it for his own personal gain before.

Jack felt bad about that and thought Sam probably did too. They'd hardly even got started and he very much wanted to make them work as a couple. So he had to do something about it before it pulled them apart.

Inevitably, breaking the rules did not help the seeing each other more frequently side of things either. They couldn't risk people finding out about them and the sneaking made it harder. Not even Daniel and Teal'c knew they'd finally got their acts together. Jack thought they suspected after that Thanksgiving matchmaking thing they'd got into but this was a far cry from actually knowing.

He didn't like lying to their friends. Lies of omission, sure, but lies nonetheless. Sneaking around. Sheesh!

The something he should be doing about it was already way overdue, he thought. If they were going to take their relationship to another level, he had to act. No time like the present.

Rising from his prone position, Jack stretched his limbs and picked up the telephone. It was time to make that phone call he'd so been dreading.

* * *

At Christmas, the view of Colorado Springs from the top of Cheyenne Mountain was always an awesome sight. Unlike some, Jack didn't use the word awesome to describe just any old thing, but it seemed the right word to describe the sight as he stood taking in the view. The Christmas lights of the Springs. Truly dazzling.

He turned and smiled at Sam who grinned back and Jack figured this year the lights seemed extra special. She made it extra special. He'd always got a kick out of them but it had been quite a while since he'd shared his life with anyone who was worth truly enjoying them with. Sharing life's little events always made them seem better than when you did them alone.

Jack had been alone for a very long time but now he wasn't. That in itself was worth a lot. The Christmas lights viewed from the top of the mountain were merely the icing on the cake.

"Stunning, isn't it?" said Sam and Jack nodded.

"Awesome," he replied.

Sam knew his views on the inappropriate and overuse of that particular word. He'd roll his eyes when someone, often Cassie, used it to describe a new handbag, hairstyle or something equally commonplace. Handbags and hairstyles weren't awesome. Something like the stars and planets twinkling on a dark clear night, or the Grand Canyon, were. At least, those were the Jack O'Neill words of wisdom on the subject.

Her grin broadened. Jack seemed in good spirits. Very happy. She hoped it had something to do with her as well as the season of good will.

Surreptitiously, he brushed her hand, not yet able to be open in front of their friends. Feeling slightly uncomfortable because he was torn between the need to keep their secret and lying to their friends, he coughed and turned toward Teal'c.

"What do you think, T?" he asked.

"It is indeed awesome, O'Neill," Teal'c responded with a smile. Daniel piped in with agreement.

"Okay, I guess it's time to make a move," Jack said reluctantly.

"To the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo?" Teal'c queried with what seemed to be uncharacteristic enthusiasm.

Days before, Jack had insisted they all attend Colorado Springs Festival of Light and Teal'c had been delighted. The big guy was looking forward to the renowned Electric Safari at the zoo, his first ever visit to the place during the festive season.

Leading up to Christmas, the Springs offered a vast array of professional light shows, displays and parades. The mountain itself was lit up like a Christmas tree and the view from it over the city's lights was impressive.

One of the biggest events of the season was the Festival of Light, a parade which kicked off the annual festivities and attracted thousands of visitors each year. It was a nighttime spectacular with big floats, decorated live trees, marching bands playing traditional seasonal music, holiday scenes from all over the world, horse drawn carriages, classic cars and much more. If it moved, it had hundreds of Christmas lights attached to it. Quite a sight.

In theory, the highlight of the parade was Santa Claus at the end, riding in on a huge float yelling, "Ho, Ho, Ho" at the top of his voice. Predictably, Jack was more partial to the classic cars, although he enjoyed all the lights and took boyish pleasure in the parade.

Sam had been thrilled to share the event with him and their friends for the first time since they'd known each other. It was a particular joy to see Jack take such pleasure from it, his smile almost as bright as the lights themselves. She didn't think she'd ever seen him laugh as much as she had that night. They'd snuck back to his place afterwards and made love, another joy seemingly enhanced by their elated moods.

It was a Christmas spectacle Jack had attended with his family but he had avoided it since Charlie had died and Sara had left. This was the first year since then that he'd felt inclined to go and he wanted to do it with his friends. He figured it was Sam's influence. She was good for him. He kept wondering how good it was going to get if she was this good for him already. Things could only get better, right? He certainly hoped so.

Jack was determined to make their first Christmas season together special and different, hoping it would be the first of many such Christmases. Although he longed to be alone with Sam, sharing some of that magic with his other closest friends seemed the right thing to do. It also didn't hurt to have a couple of chaperones around if they were out in public. If anyone saw just the pair of them together tongues would wag and who knew where that might lead. This, however, was not his prime motivation for encouraging his friends to tag along, only one of them.

Once upon a time, the festive season had been magical. Seeing it through a child's eyes and sharing it with someone you loved could warm the heart of even the most cynical and hard-bitten men. Jack considered himself one of those and Christmas simply had not been the same since he'd lost his family. He was more than happy to try and bring back the enchantment he'd missed for so many years. Sharing played a big part in that dream.

They'd all watched the Christmas lights of Colorado Springs from the top of the mountain before, of course. They were hard to avoid when you worked in the place and why would anyone want to? This, however, was the first time all four of them had made a concerted effort to make an occasion of it together.

The Electric Safari at the zoo, however, was their ultimate destination that particular night. The safari was one of the largest holiday light events in Southwest Colorado. Cold it might be, as it inevitably was at this time of year in the State, but it was well worth braving the elements for. More than a million lights sparkled in the cool winter night and there were light sculptures and warm fires throughout the zoo and magic everywhere.

All three of his friends had been surprised when Jack had suggested these outings. He'd never bothered much about Christmas before, or at least since they had known him. They all suspected they knew why he got a little bit more anti-social than usual during the festive season. They also figured they knew why he was opening up more now.

Jack and Sam certainly weren't fooling either Daniel or Teal'c even if they only suspected rather than knew for sure about the budding romance. Meanwhile Sam tried not to second guess Jack's motives although wanted to believe she knew his reasons for being in celebratory mood.

She loved him all the more for making the effort, although neither of them had voiced such feelings for each other yet. Sam didn't want to second guess him about that either. No counting chickens, she thought. Like Jack, she was taking the relationship as it came. They had only been seeing each other for a very short while, after all. There was no telling what might happen but Sam was optimistic.

Also like Jack, the issue of breaching regs was a concern. Sam knew if anyone found out that he, as the senior officer, was likely to take the brunt of any fallout. It wouldn't do her career much good either but he'd be finished. Probably accused of using his more senior position to take advantage of a junior officer and heaven only knew what else. They were both probably crazy to sneak around like they were doing but now they had started along this route she didn't want to turn back.

At the same time, Sam had contemplated backing away from their relationship to save his butt. In her opinion, the SGC needed him. He was the right person in the right place at the right time. Hence they were risking a lot. She figured Jack would probably laugh in her face if she voiced such a notion. A general is a general, right? That's probably what he would say but he'd be wrong.

Sam had already seen what the wrong man could do when General Bauer had briefly replaced Hammond. Bad decisions made by someone who didn't understand based on bad advice from people who didn't understand either. A nightmare and one that might have destroyed Earth.

Jack, on the other hand, knew the score more than most. He knew what it was like out there and was willing to stick his neck out for his subordinates. When he had the choice, he'd listen to the people he trusted rather than those folks back at the Pentagon who thought they knew best but didn't. He and Hammond might be very different kinds of men but Jack had learned from the best.

Although Sam might have considered giving him up for his own good, she knew she wasn't likely to act on it. She'd see him again and all such thoughts were lost. He'd catch her eye, touch her arm or smile and she'd remember why they had kissed on that Halloween night, why they'd ended up in bed together after their fake Thanksgiving. She loved him. Not only that but he was darned hot.

Smiling to herself at the thought, she glanced at him and he caught her out, smirking and winking, dark brown eyes twinkling with merriment. Sometimes she hated that he could be so adorable.

She longed to take his hand in hers, give him a hug or a peck on the cheek but she couldn't. It was frustrating and didn't seem fair. They'd both sacrificed enough for far too long already, hadn't they? She wanted them to be just like any other couple. Or at least as close an approximation as they could be. For them, life was never likely to be normal.

Once, not so long ago, Sam had craved normal and she'd got together with Pete Shanahan because of it. Pete had been sweet and all, had his moments, but he wasn't Jack and he never could be. Once she'd realised normal wasn't all it was cracked up to be Pete was gone. She knew if she couldn't have Jack she'd be better off alone. The extraordinary was way better than normal even if it was just out of reach.

Their kisses that Halloween had been extraordinary and so had every moment they'd spent together since that night. Unfortunately, their moments together had been too few but she held out hope for many future ones. Tonight might be one of them. Later. Fingers crossed Jonas Quinn style.

She laughed aloud at the thought and Jack peered at her curiously. "What's so funny, colonel?" he asked.

"I was thinking about Jonas Quinn."

"What, are you hungry?" he quipped, raising a smile from Sam and Teal'c. Jonas had had a thing for Earth food, constantly seemed to be eating. It had become something of a team joke.

In response, she crossed her two index fingers like Jonas had done when he had misunderstood the adage about keeping your fingers crossed. Jack arched his eyebrows in an amused way.

"So what are you crossing your fingers for?" he queried and Sam said nothing, merely smirking.

Jack bit his lip, trying not to laugh exuberantly. It was as if he had read her mind. Daniel looked puzzled and Teal'c simply shrugged and remained mute.

Neither Sam nor Jack attempted to explain but the urge to exchange smiles was irresistible. It didn't go unnoticed by their two friends who managed a silent exchange of their own. In fact, later when he found himself alone with Jack as they exited the men's room at the zoo Daniel brazenly broached the subject.

"So, Jack, you and Sam… have you two…?"

Jack threw him an acid look and his response was equally tart. "I thought tact and diplomacy was your thing, Daniel. Have you never heard of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'?"

Daniel appeared taken aback by the response. "Doesn't that only apply to gays?"

Jack didn't reply, instead pinning him with a long hard stare, and Daniel looked pained.

"You can trust us, Jack," he stated.

"I do trust you."

"Really," Daniel responded caustically.

"Don't go there Daniel," Jack retorted. "Please."

The added "please" so surprised Daniel that he was temporarily rendered speechless. As his friend mutely opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, Jack's hard expression turned to one of amusement.

"Okay," agreed Daniel eventually. "I guess it's none of my business."

Jack smiled faintly, squeezing his arm in a friendly fashion. "Not right now. Another time, right?" Daniel grinned back and nodded. Then they returned to their friends.

As the small group continued their tour of the zoo, the younger man pondered the exchange. Jack always had been the kind of man who kept his cards close to his chest. Sometimes he was a tough person to have as a friend, but he was a true one. He was a man who would do almost anything to help a friend in need - with the possible exception of talking about it.

Daniel understood that Jack and Sam were in a difficult position. If they were having the kind of relationship he now suspected they were then it was a serious breach of Air Force Regulations. Not that he necessarily agreed with all that regs nonsense. However, after all the years of working with the military he got it. Kind of.

In fact, if his suspicions were correct, it was surprising his friends had gone as far as breaching those regs. He'd hoped, and even made a small effort to encourage them. None of which mean they would. Sam was normally a stickler for the regs, albeit with some notable exceptions when it came to following Jack's lead. As for Jack, he could play fast and loose with the rules but had been careful about keeping in line with the fraternization section of them as far as she was concerned.

Nonetheless, Daniel only had to look at them to know something had changed. Their demeanors were different as was the way they responded to each other. There was nothing blatant but it was obvious to him. He'd known them a long time, after all. He had eyes.

Good for them, he thought. They deserve it although who knew for sure whether they would work as a couple? Even with all the subtle and unsubtle yearning that had been going on around him for years, it wasn't a given. In many ways, they were like chalk and cheese, almost entirely unsuited. However, Daniel believed they had a lot going for them too. Almost entirely unsuited did not mean totally unsuited, did it?

He sincerely hoped they didn't disappoint each other. Daniel couldn't bear the idea of that happening, of either of them deeply hurting the other, of their friendship suffering a heavy and potentially lethal blow. If it happened, the impact on all of them could be devastating, not least because the pair still worked in the same command. Tricky, and the one sane reason he could see for the fraternization regs existing in the first place.

'Be careful what you wish for, Daniel,' he told himself, trying to snap out of his funk and concentrate on the matter at hand – their night out.

"We have to do the Seven Falls," he heard Jack declare happily and Teal'c looked quizzical.

"The Seven Falls, O'Neill?"

As Jack explained, Teal'c seemed eager to participate and Daniel smiled. He loved these guys and hoped nothing would ever pull them apart. 'Enough already,' he thought. 'Give us a decent break! We deserve it.' Then he pushed all such thoughts aside and joined the conversation.

The Seven Falls was a magnificent waterfall next to the mountain. They had night light shows on a daily basis all year round but the Christmas one could be ranked alongside the finest. Special decorations brought out for the occasion created a captivating wonderland against the backdrop of the mountain and falls.

Jack liked that his Jaffa friend was getting into and enjoying these very Tauri Christmas traditions. He thought Charlie probably would have said the fantasy of the falls was like watching a movie on the mountain, which made him believe Teal'c was going to love it. As far as Jack was concerned, while they were on the light show trail, the Falls were a must see. They were part of that magic he wanted to create around Christmas once again.

* * *

"Want a ride home, Carter?" Jack asked as they left the zoo. He stared straight into her eyes and his penetrating gaze sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

"That would be good, sir," she replied with a faint smile and trying to appear casual about the notion.

Sam had been hoping for this, that they might end up spending some alone time together after their night out. She had left her car at home that morning as part of a deliberate ploy. If Jack didn't bite, she could get a cab or a lift from Daniel, but he bit. Way to go, Jack!

"You two guys okay?" Jack said eyeing their two friends, his expression implying that they had better be.

"I'll drive Teal'c back to the SGC, Jack," Daniel agreed quickly, easily taking the hint and trying hard not to smirk.

As he and Sam got into his truck, Jack asked, "Your place or mine?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Or is that taking too much for granted, Carter?" he added to be sure it didn't seem like he expected too much. What he wanted and what he got might be two totally different things, after all. It was too soon to take anything between them for granted.

Sam grinned. "My place. Then you won't have to give me a ride in the morning."

"Hey, I don't mind giving you a ride in the morning. In fact, I'll give you a ride right now!" His humorous tone of innuendo made her giggle.

"Right here in the truck?" she retorted lightheartedly.

"Not sure my creaky old knees and back are up to that, Sam, but if that's what you want…" he responded with a mocking grin and a shrug.

"My place would be better," she said, reaching over to squeeze his thigh. Her touch made him tremble excitedly and he gunned the truck into gear and drove off. Jack was feeling content with the way the night had gone and exhilarated by the idea of what might follow.

"You left your car at home on purpose, right?" he asked cheekily.

Sam could feel her cheeks heating. "No comment," she said and Jack chuckled. They spent the rest of their journey to Sam's in companionable silence, both contemplating the night to come.

He kissed her passionately once they'd entered her house, pulling her close and scrunching his fingers through her hair.

"I thought I'd never get you alone," he whispered as he withdrew his mouth from hers. Sam's fingers wandered under his shirt and up his spine and he shivered, and not because he was thrilled. "Damn it, your hands are cold!" he exclaimed.

"Then warm them up, Mister."

Smiling, he removed her hands from under his shirt and took them between his, rubbing them and blowing on them to warm them. Then he cocked an eyebrow at her quizzically and found the answer he was looking for in her expression. A few minutes later, they were both stripped naked and making love in her warm bed. They didn't waste any time because they didn't have time to waste. Neither of them could be sure when they'd get this chance again.

Afterward, they held each other in mute contentment for a long time before they spoke. Jack was the first one to break that satisfied peace.

"We… um… we haven't discussed… um…" he started and Sam was charmed by his boyish nervousness. "What you doing for Christmas?" he asked finally.

"Did you have something in mind?" she countered.

"Open fire, eggnog… hugs and kisses with a blonde haired genius."

Jack had been meaning to ask for a while now. Spending Christmas day with Sam sounded like his kind of Christmas, assuming he could pull it off. She, however, had family. A brother, a niece and nephew. He hadn't a clue what she planned to do with her time off.

In theory, both of them were supposed to be off duty for a few days over Christmas. While Jack knew anything could happen to make this impossible, he longed for the possible, or at least the hope of it.

"Mark invited me to San Diego," she said and Jack's heart sank. "But I haven't said yes. Spending some time with a certain silver haired general sounds better."

"Really?" He was both surprised and delighted and showed it, which pleased Sam immeasurably.

"Really."

"Just the two of us?" he queried.

"Yes, just the two of us."

He smiled, kissing her forehead affectionately and giving her a warm squeeze. "Cool!"

Jack was thinking sharing Christmas with Sam would be the best Christmas present he'd had for a long time. He didn't know it, but she was thinking along the same lines. That night, they both slept very well indeed. A slumber filled with sweet dreams.

Continued in Part 2, to follow in a day or two, I swear…! :-)

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Copyright © 2009 Su Freund


	2. Chapter 2

As promised, here's the second, and final, part. Enjoy! :-)

**Sneaking Around Part 2**

_Christmas at Jack's:_

He'd used a lot of what little spare time he had to make his house look exactly right for Christmas. The highly decorated and lit tree, holly, mistletoe, the whole works. He'd gone a little bit overboard, Jack thought, but it was fun and he thought Sam might get a kick out of it.

She arrived on Christmas Eve, the first time they were going to be alone together outside of Cheyenne Mountain since that night they'd been to the zoo. They'd agreed he would supply all the decorations, drinks and nibbles while she would bring the makings for their Christmas dinner.

They were going to prepare and cook the dinner together. Together, for crying out loud. Jack couldn't quite believe how excited he was by the prospect of sharing that chore with Sam. It seemed ridiculous to be as keyed up about it, but he couldn't help himself.

Cooking together was a thing couples did. For the first time, he was genuinely starting to believe they could be that couple. They could make this relationship work. The prospect thrilled him and he was as giddy as a schoolboy might be about Christmas. It had been far too long since the festive season had made him feel that way.

He'd shared Charlie's excitement about Christmas. What parent didn't? Now, Jack had something else to make him feel similar enthusiasm – or someone else. She was called Sam Carter, was the most beautiful, intelligent woman in the world, and she wanted to spend her precious Christmas vacation with him. It couldn't have been better if she'd tied herself up in red ribbon and sat herself under his Christmas tree.

Jack felt a bit foolish about his exuberance. He was getting too old to feel that way about Christmas, he thought. It seemed ridiculous, or it did when he let his hard head think about it. Most of the time, he just went with the flow and didn't let his older macho General Jack persona get a look in. The young boy with a gigantic crush on a certain blonde won. It was fun. It made him happy. Jack liked that feeling a lot.

He had the best Christmas present ever for Sam, but he wasn't telling. He wanted it to be a total surprise and he hoped she felt the same way about it as he did. Jack wasn't certain about anything, didn't take it for granted, but he hoped she'd be okay with it. One of his concerns was that it might appear he was taking too much for granted too soon. He couldn't help that. It felt like the right thing to do.

Jack tried not to let it make him feel too nervous so buried those feelings deep. He wanted to enjoy this Christmas and for Sam to enjoy it too. He wanted to relax and have a good time. He wanted it to be perfect, or as close to faultless as it could get anyway. Total perfection was a lot to ask.

His heart hammered rapidly in his chest as he answered the door to her knock. 'Stop it with the giddy schoolboy stuff already, O'Neill,' he told himself but the youngster within would not be listen.

"Merry Christmas Jack," she said with a bright smile when the door opened and his already rapidly beating heart went into overdrive.

"Merry Christmas Sam," he responded with an equally vivid grin. They stood silently eyeing each other in wonder for a while, letting the cold into the house and both feeling faintly idiotic.

"Help me with the food?" she said and they got the bags from her car and carried them in.

She made appropriately thrilled comments about his decorations and he stopped her under some mistletoe and gave her an appropriately loving kiss.

"Merry Christmas Sam," he said again as he pulled his lips away.

"Merry Christmas Jack," she repeated with a titter. "Is that all I'm gonna get out of you for the next couple of days?" she asked humorously.

"Don't know. Maybe." The somewhat shy expression on his face gave her a kick.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"You know me and talking."

"Are you as excited about this as I am?" she ventured and Sam noticed him visibly relax before he grinned and nodded. "Good. Where's that open fire and eggnog?"

She craned her neck to kiss the tip of his nose and he took her hand and led her into the living room.

"Looks great. Good job," she commented, pleased by the amount of effort he had obviously put in to make it look as Christmassy.

He said nothing, pulling her toward the fire he had burning in his hearth. Removing her coat, he urged her to sit while he went off to hang it up. When he returned, she was curled up on the rug in front of it, watching the dancing flames.

Jack squatted down next to her, hands on her shoulders. He briefly kissed the back of her neck and then sat by her side.

"No problems with the creaky old knees and back, Jack?" she queried mockingly and he laughed.

"Not right now."

"Then make love to me."

He drew in a breath, his heart rate leaping from relatively normal to rapidly erratic once again. "Right here?" he asked and she nodded.

So he did.

* * *

They deliberately held back from the present opening until after they'd eaten Christmas dinner. The food was a great success and Jack couldn't remember the last time he'd had that much fun in a kitchen. Sam seemed to enjoy it too. They were having so much fun they were surprised they managed to get dinner together at all. Jack had joked about having a couple of pizzas in the freezer if it came to it.

After their lovemaking session the previous evening, they'd spent some time preparing for the dinner, getting as much done as possible in advance. They decided to give their planned attendance at Midnight Mass a miss and stay indoors, cozying up together and canoodling on a large chair close to the fire instead.

They didn't talk much and neither of them felt the need to. It was nice just sitting there peaceably, watching the flames create fiery pictures in his fireplace - interspersed with the odd kiss and affectionate caress. They were more comfortable about it than either of them had ever imagined. It felt right.

Neither of them knew quite how much it meant to the other to wake up together that Christmas morning. They avoided exploring or expressing those feelings, just running with them instead.

After breakfast and placing their turkey in the oven, Sam seduced Jack right there in his kitchen. She took control of their lovemaking for the first time and he certainly wasn't inclined to fight it. His kitchen chairs would never be the same again. The one she sat him on, writhing on top of him until they were sated, would forever seem magical rather than just a piece of furniture.

Sam stunned Jack with that seduction, moving him almost beyond reason. He hadn't anticipated the wildcat seductress lurking in his lover. She'd always appeared very in control, uptight even. Jack was so overwhelmed he almost blurted out something about feelings - about love – but he just about managed to contain himself.

Later, he wasn't sure he should have held back. He regretted not simply coming out with it. He argued with himself about it for a while and then forced himself to forget it and simply live and enjoy the moments.

Afterward, they continued with festivities as usual, as if what had just happened was a commonplace occurrence. Jack liked that a lot. It was like they were a normal couple doing normal things. It felt good.

"I'm as stuffed as that turkey," he declared after his final mouthful of plum pudding. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair and surveyed the table. It seemed they had enough food left over to feed a small nation. "Talking of which, we'll be eating that sucker until New Year," he said with a wry grin.

Sam smiled, noting his use of the word "we" but saying nothing. She hoped it meant he anticipated spending more time together, perhaps even New Year's Eve itself. However, they had to get through Christmas first. They'd cross that bridge when it came to it, as Jack might say.

"I like leftovers," she said. "We can donate some turkey to Teal'c."

She knew their friend loved turkey and felt a slight twinge of regret that they hadn't invited him or Daniel to share this special day. The pang didn't last for long. Spending this time alone with Jack meant too much to her to regret it.

"Christmas present time?" Jack asked with a hint of excitement in his voice. His smile made him look years younger, she thought, treasuring that youthful grin. She kissed his cheek, nodding enthusiastically and tugging on his hand to lead him back into the living room.

Sam had brought all her presents with her and she had tucked them under the Christmas tree alongside his. Having no family of his own, Jack had fewer gifts than her and she sadly wondered what his Christmas days up until now had been like. Had he been alone and lonely? She wanted to ask but didn't although what he said next gave her a big clue.

"This sure beats spending Christmas Day at the SGC," he said and from those words she assumed he'd spent a few of those Christmases on duty inside the mountain. It surprised her to realize she hadn't known that.

"You're normally on duty?" she ventured to query and noted a trace of sadness in his eyes as he replied.

"Someone has to mind the shop."

Sam tried to picture the skeleton staff looking after things on base over the holiday. He was right that someone had to do it and wondered how they celebrated.

"There's always cake," he commented with a sardonic smile and she squeezed his hand lovingly but said nothing. Stopping in his tracks, he faced her and used his free hand to grasp the top of her arm. "It's good having you here today Sam," he said, staring into her eyes. His facial expression was blank but his eyes spoke volumes. Kissing her lips briefly, he pulled away and urged her to sit on a chair close to the Christmas tree near the fire. "Hold it right there. I'll be back."

He strode out of the room and when he returned a couple of minutes later, Sam couldn't help but laugh. He'd put on a false white beard and had a red Santa Claus hat perched on his head.

"In a few years, I won't need to wear a false one and play dress up," he joked, stroking the beard. "Merry Christmas, Sam." Then he approached the tree and picked up one of her presents, handing it to her.

"Merry Christmas, Jack," she said with a grin as she took it from him. "I'm glad I'm here."

Before they started on the presents, she persuaded him to take the chair and sat on the floor between his knees, kneeling to face him. As they opened each gift, Jack made an amusing or sarcastic comment and Sam happily joined in with the banter. Then, finally, they came down to their presents for each other.

Sam insisted she take over the Santa role and that he open her presents to him first. She grabbed the red hat from his head, making him chuckle with delight, and passed him one. There were three of them altogether.

The first was a shirt. Light blue. Sam had spent a little while hunting down exactly the right shade. She'd imagined him wearing this shirt when she was hallucinating on board "The Prometheus" many months ago. In her memory of that hallucination, he'd looked darned hot and she knew it would suit him perfectly. He seemed to like it.

Next was an executive toy. The kind of thing one keeps on one's desk to play with when needing distraction. A puzzle. Sam knew it would keep Jack's hands occupied for hours. She pictured his fingers running over it, trying to work it out, getting it and then starting again. It was a good present for a man like Jack - a man who liked to play, who needed to keep his hands occupied virtually all the time. His eyes lit up when he realized what it was and he laughed gaily.

Finally, she handed him the more personal gift. Sam was a little bit nervous about this one, wondering if it might seem a little bit forward, as if she were taking too much for granted. When he opened it, however, she could see from his delight that she had made the right decision. He was openly thrilled, nothing hidden.

The picture frame itself was plain and simple. Silver, but unadorned. Inside the frame was a photograph of Sam. A recent one, a head and shoulders shot. It wasn't a professional photograph but Sam had a friend who knew his way around a camera and had taken it especially. He had taken a few and she had chosen this one. Sam was smiling and her eyes appeared to glisten with joy.

To Jack, it seemed as if Sam was looking directly at him from this photo. She was smiling at him, especially for him. He loved it and knew it would take pride of place where he could look at that stunning smile when he needed a boost. When he missed her, when he wished she was there with him. Maybe he'd place it next to his bed or in his den. Wherever, he'd cherish it.

"It's a great photo, Sam," he said, still grinning jubilantly. "Thanks." He caught her eye and smiled straight at her, a smile of gratitude, of excitement. It made her heart skip a beat.

"Glad you like it."

"You look… beautiful," he declared with open admiration. Taking a hand in his he lifted it to his lips to kiss it. She trembled from the thrill that ran through her. It had been tough trying to think of suitable presents for Jack but so worth it.

Then he handed her his present. It was small, perfectly wrapped. Her heart skittered with excitement as she ripped the paper off the gift, revealing a small box. Jewelry, she could tell by the type of box and was both eager and nervous to see what lay within. It was a ring. She seen such a thing before but didn't know what it meant.

"It's a Claddagh ring," Jack said hastily, leaving her none the wiser. "To my people, the Irish, it's a ring of friendship. Close friendship," he went on to explain, failing to mention that the Celts had traditionally used the Claddagh as a wedding band once upon a time. The ring bore two hands clasping a heart surmounted by a crown. The heart represented love, the hands friendship and the crown loyalty. In essence, it meant "with my two hands I give you my heart, and crown it with my loyalty." Jack, however, didn't explain further.

"I hope it fits," he said, placing it on a finger of her right hand with the heart pointing inward.

Jack knew the way one wore the Claddagh ring also conveyed a particular message; what hand one wore it on and whether the heart pointed inward or outward. Worn on the left hand it meant engaged or married. He couldn't claim either of those things with Sam.

On the right hand, however, if the heart pointed inward it showed that the wearer was in a relationship, that someone had captured their heart. This was exactly what he hoped for and what he intended with the gift, although he did not intend to explain any of it to Sam. One day, perhaps, but not yet.

He didn't really need to explain. Although Sam might not have been aware of these intricacies surrounding the ring, as far as she was concerned it was a ring. A ring with a heart on it and Jack had given it to her. Sam hoped she knew what it meant. It was important - an indication of his feelings and intent. For now, this was all she needed to know.

"It's beautiful, Jack," she whispered, visibly moved by the gift.

"And it fits!" he exclaimed with a lighthearted grin.

She realized his quip was a typical Jack O'Neill ploy, intended to detract from a serious moment he wasn't sure he could deal with. Sam played along, saying nothing but murmuring her thanks and, pulling off his false Santa beard, she stretched up to kiss his lips. Wrapping his arms around her, Jack turned the small peck of gratitude into a more evocative kiss, both loving and passionate.

"I wish I'd given you something more meaningful too," she said as their mouths parted.

"You did," he replied and she gave him a quizzical look. "You're here, aren't you? And there's this," he added, reaching for the photo she'd given him. "It's pretty special."

Grinning, she settled back down to her previous position on the floor, this time, resting her chin on his knee and clasping his leg just above her head.

"There's something else," he told her, his expression serious. Sam thought she detected a hint of trepidation in his eyes as he handed her an envelope.

"Open and read," he urged.

Curiously, she ripped the envelope open. Inside was a letter typed on official headed paper. Jack was excited about its contents. To him, it seemed like a perfect Christmas present and he hoped she would be equally pleased.

As Sam read, her eyes widened and her mouth hung open with shock. In effect, the letter contained permission for the pair of them to do what the regs forbade – fraternize. It went on to provide detailed orders about the chain of command and reporting procedures. As a result, Jack's command was going to subject to even closer scrutiny than usual.

"Wha… H-how?" she asked in a tone Jack took to be horror. Swearing internally, he wondered what she was thinking. Had he acted too hastily? Should he have spoken to her first?

"I talked to George Hammond," he explained. "He did the rest."

"You-you talked to General Hammond and not to me?"

'Crap!' Jack thought. 'She's mad.' He could not tell from her expression what she was thinking but the pit of his stomach lurched uneasily as he realized he might have screwed everything up.

"I, um… damn," he spoke aloud, not sure what to say. "I thought… um… I hoped you'd be okay with the outcome. Too much, too soon?" His tone was clearly nervous and hesitant.

Sam's initial thoughts had been shock and dismay. By acting without saying anything, Jack had messed with her career. If it had gone badly, there was no knowing what might have happened. It scared her. He had no right.

The upshot of his actions, however, was good for them. No more breaching the regs, no more guilt or sneaking around. Sam liked that very much. And the fact that he wanted this for them told her a lot too, about his feelings for her. Words he'd not yet spoken. All in all, therefore, it was positive. She could tackle him about the consulting her first issue another time. She shouldn't spoil the moment, she decided.

So, in answer to his question Sam shook her head, getting up to ease herself onto his knees and then kissing his cheek and softly stroking his neck. Then she smiled; a big smile that immediately calmed Jack's nerves.

"It's a great Christmas present. The best," she said. "I love you, Jack." Surprised by Sam's pronouncement, he stared at her openly dumbfounded for a moment and she began to look jittery, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. "Too much, too soon?" she asked, repeating his own words back to him.

"Not a chance," he replied reassuringly, grinning and pulling her in his arms. "I'm just… stunned is all."

He buried his face in her neck not wishing Sam to see his overly powerful reaction to her declaration. Jack had tears swimming in his eyes, although he never allowed them to fall. It wasn't the Jack O'Neill way. He wasn't sure how to respond - simply telling her he loved her too seemed a little bit trite, as if he was saying it because she had.

"You must have known," she said, slightly disappointed he hadn't come clean with his feelings right away, although Sam figured he must feel the same what with the ring, the letter and all.

"I didn't," Jack replied. "Not for sure. I wanted… I hoped…"

He pulled back and, as he revealed his face, Sam could see emotions in his eyes of the like she had never seen before. Only fleetingly, though, because he quickly recovered his composure and became the Jack O'Neill she knew so well; the man who frequently hid behind his military mask. The short moment of revelation, however, was as demonstrative as anything he might have said.

Smiling brightly, she let the moment pass because Sam was confident she knew what lay in his heart. With Jack, she had to learn that words were not important. Words weren't his thing. He was an action kind of guy and action was exactly what he took.

Radiating with a high voltage smile, Jack kissed her. It was a kiss overflowing with all the feeling Sam could ever have wished for; a kiss that made her tingle from the ends of her toes to the tips of her fingers; a kiss that thrilled and enchanted her.

Jack was ebullient. For once, Plan A was coming together. This was one of his best Christmases ever and it seemed Sam was happy and content too. No more sneaking around, not more lying to their friends. The first thing he was going to do after Christmas was take her out on a real date, in front of real people in a public place. Alone, no chaperones required to protect their previously closely guarded secret.

Although before that, he had something to tell Daniel and Teal'c. He had something to say to Sam too, but it could wait.

The End

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Copyright © 2009 Su Freund


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